"I was wondering what kind of girl could have botched up a rescue attempt so badly. Now that I know it was you all along, everything makes sense."
"Go away."
Rome runs his nose down the side of my face, smiling at the way I shiver. "After all thes...
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THE NEXT MORNING, A SHARP SERIES OF RINGS WAKES BOTH OF US UP. After a few seconds of persistent beeping, I force my eyes open. Rome's already out of bed, phone in hand. The electric blue screen lights up the bottom of his face, illuminating the downward curl of his lips. He types out a message. As he does, the room goes into motion: closet door opening, curtains rising, blanket straightening.
I gasp as an invisible hand yanks the silk pillow out from beneath me. Everything freezes in mid motion. Rome looks up from his phone and curses under his breath.
"You're so quiet. I forgot you were here," He sets one knee on the bed to lift my head and places the pillow back into its place. "Go back to sleep, sweetheart."
"Is it a mission?" I squint.
"In Moscow. The plane should be arriving soon."
Distracted, Rome gets prepared. Still, the curtains fall back and the weighted blanket tucks into my sides. Rome's power seem like a second hand. He can work on it while focusing on other tasks.
He knocks on the wall. The wood panels fold open to reveal a full-body suit under a set of lights - Rome's superhero costume! People talked about it when I was still in the SAVE academy. A work of art by Super engineers, it consists of more than a hundred detachable parts. Rome can move every single piece to fit his needs in any situation.
In front of my wide eyes, the suit separates into small pieces. Rome steps inside and they wrap around his body, fitting into each line and dip of his skin. The lines of his chest and legs become more defined, shadowed. His face is the most serious I've ever seen, not betraying any signs of emotions as he climbs into his boots. It reminds of the day he stopped a bullet. I feel a trickle of fear down my spine, even though I'm not the one who's going to be facing his power.
Rome pulls on his glove, catching my eye just as he tugs it over his wrist. I blink, bringing the blanket over so it covers my nose. In one smooth motion, he climbs over me, placing his hands on either of my pillow.
"I thought I told you to go to sleep."
"I wanted to see."
"Yeah. Were you being a peeping Tom?"
"No," The blanket muffles my voice. "Your superhero costume looks pretty. I wish I had one."
"Yeah?" He presses in closer. Part of me knows I should feel intimidated, and I am - but I also feel safe and protected. "What would your costume look like? Black leather? Cat ears?"
